Photo: Honda
Toyota may be the best-known automaker for hybrid vehicles, but Honda shouldn’t be forgotten either. Two years after the Prius entered production, the Insight showed up with… wait for it… a five-speed manual transmission instead of a CVT.
The first generation of the Insight – codenamed ZE1 – is also responsible for paving the way for the CR-Z. Both are three-door liftbacks and hybridized, and yes, the sporty compact was available with a stick shift as well. Offered between 2010 and 2016, Honda pulled the plug on this fellow in order to make room for the Clarity sedan.
What came as a bit of a surprise is the mid-cycle refresh that debuted in 2015 for the 2016 model year. Not even a year later, the end was official, and that was that. Adding insult to injury, a second generation was promised but didn’t materialize.
Don’t, however, lose your hope. Honda has filed for a new CR-Z with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 29th, and “the mark consists of standard characters without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.” Filed for use in automobiles and structural parts, this mark will definitely raise a few eyebrows.
Is Honda actually thinking about a revival? Is it only a way to protect intellectual property? Nobody except a few higher-ups in Japan and the U.S. know the answers to these questions, but one can only dream of a second generation of the CR-Z.
If our prayers will be indeed answered, then it’s pretty easy to imagine what awaits. The Civic has a hybrid sibling in the guise of the Insight, now try to think of the Insight with two fewer doors and a liftback-styled trunk for a sportier profile.
The third generation – codenamed ZE4 – is made in Japan as well as the United States of America. Both versions rely on a 1.5-liter aspirated engine with four cylinders versus the Civic’s three-pot turbo, as well as a 1.2-kWh battery.
One of the reasons the CR-Z would make a bit of sense in today’s automotive landscape is that nothing can compete with it unless Hyundai comes up with a hybrid option for the Veloster. However, it should also be mentioned that the second generation has slim chances of becoming a commercial success.
What came as a bit of a surprise is the mid-cycle refresh that debuted in 2015 for the 2016 model year. Not even a year later, the end was official, and that was that. Adding insult to injury, a second generation was promised but didn’t materialize.
Don’t, however, lose your hope. Honda has filed for a new CR-Z with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on July 29th, and “the mark consists of standard characters without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.” Filed for use in automobiles and structural parts, this mark will definitely raise a few eyebrows.
Is Honda actually thinking about a revival? Is it only a way to protect intellectual property? Nobody except a few higher-ups in Japan and the U.S. know the answers to these questions, but one can only dream of a second generation of the CR-Z.
If our prayers will be indeed answered, then it’s pretty easy to imagine what awaits. The Civic has a hybrid sibling in the guise of the Insight, now try to think of the Insight with two fewer doors and a liftback-styled trunk for a sportier profile.
The third generation – codenamed ZE4 – is made in Japan as well as the United States of America. Both versions rely on a 1.5-liter aspirated engine with four cylinders versus the Civic’s three-pot turbo, as well as a 1.2-kWh battery.
One of the reasons the CR-Z would make a bit of sense in today’s automotive landscape is that nothing can compete with it unless Hyundai comes up with a hybrid option for the Veloster. However, it should also be mentioned that the second generation has slim chances of becoming a commercial success.
Google News